Food container for receiving food, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircraft

ABSTRACT

Food container for receiving food, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircraft, is combined with a flexible liner, in particular a tray liner, a placemat, a tablemat, or the like. The liner, in a wrapping position, is folded or rolled around the container and is attached or affixed in the wrapping position by detachable fixing element. There is likewise a method of using such a food container onboard aircraft for catering passengers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of European patent application no. 05 026 366.4, filed 2 Dec. 2005, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to a food container for receiving food, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircraft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Food containers of this kind are well-known and are in broad use for catering purposes, in particular onboard aircraft. They may be used for receiving food and/or catering articles.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art food containers for receiving and handling food.

It is an object of the invention to provide a food container for receiving food, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircraft, the handling of which is simplified.

The object is achieved by a food container for receiving food, and the container including a flexible liner. The liner is one of wrappable and foldable about the container. A detachable affixing element is provided. In a wrapping position of the liner, in use, the liner is one of wrapped and folded about the container, and the detachable affixing element being detachably affixed to the liner and holding the liner in one of wrapped and folded about the container. The food container is particularly suited for use onboard aircraft.

The invention is based on the idea to combine a food container with a flexible liner, in particular a tray liner, a placemat, a tablemat, or the like.

According to the invention, in a wrapping position the liner is folded or rolled around the container and is fixed in the receiving position by a detachable fixing element. Accordingly, the food container and the liner form a compact unit which may be stored and handled in a comfortable manner. The food container may, e.g. receive food, in particular snacks, and/or catering articles, in particular a cup or the like. Since according to the invention the food container is wrapped by the liner, the articles received within the food container are prevented from being dropped out of the container during handling. After serving the food container, e.g. to a passenger, the passenger may release the fixing element, thereby causing the liner to unfold so that the passenger has access to the contents of the food container. Since the food container is combined with the liner, both articles may be served to a passenger in one step thereby simplifying the service.

According to a preferred embodiment, the fixing or affixing element includes at least one gluestrip. With this embodiment, it is very simple to detach the fixing element. Furthermore, suitable gluestrips are inexpensive.

According to another preferred embodiment the fixing element includes at least one banderole. Suitable banderoles may, e.g. be manufactured from paper and are inexpensive, too. In order to unfold the liner, the user may tear the banderole.

According to the respective requirements, the liner may be manufactured from paper and/or foil and/or tissue. In particular, it is preferred that the tray liner is manufactured from paper or a tablecloth-like material.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the liner is embodied as a bag. In this embodiment, the liner may particularly be used as a wastebag for receiving the empty food container and packaging material after the user has consumed the food received in the food container.

According to a further development of the abovementioned embodiment, the liner includes a waterproof inner coating or insert. In this embodiment, e.g. waste received in the bag-like liner may be handled in a clean and comfortable manner.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the liner includes a separate pouch for receiving catering articles, in particular a cutlery pack. In this embodiment, the food container according to the invention combines all catering articles which are required to consume e.g. a snack onboard aircraft, namely a food container for receiving food, a tray liner and a cutlery pack received in the separate pouch.

Basically, the container may be a reusable container. According to a preferred embodiment, the container is a disposable container.

The use of a flexible liner, in particular a tray liner, a placemat, a tablemat or the like for wrapping a food container for receiving food, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircraft, wherein the liner in a wrapping position being folded or rolled around the container and being fixed in the wrapping position by detachable fixing element is set forth herein and in the claims.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein all features which are claimed in the claims or described in the specification or which are shown in the drawings define the subject matter of the invention, either taken alone or in arbitrary combination with each other, regardless of their combination in the claims, as well as regardless of the wording used in the specification and the representation used in the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention with the liner being in the wrapping position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the food container of FIG. 1 with the liner being in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the liner without the food container illustrating the use of a pouch in the liner for receiving a cutlery pack; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention with the liner being in the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Throughout the various drawing figures, the same or similar elements are referenced by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a food container 2 for receiving food, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircraft, is shown wherein according to the invention the container 2 is combined with a flexible liner 4 which in the present embodiment is a tray liner or a placemat. In FIG. 1 the liner 4 is shown in a wrapping position in which it is folded or rolled around the container 2 and is fixed in the wrapping position by a detachable fixing element which in the present embodiment includes a gluestrip 6. As shown in FIG. 1, in the wrapping position of the liner 4 the food container 2 and the liner 4 form a unit which may be stored, handled and served to a passenger in an easy and comfortable manner.

In order to consume the food received in the food container 2, the user, e.g. a passenger onboard aircraft, may simply detach the gluestrip 6 thereby causing the liner 4 to unfold or unroll.

FIG. 2 shows the food container 2 and the liner 4 after detaching the gluestrip 6. The liner 4 is unfolded so that the user has access to the contents of the food container 2 and may consume e.g. a snack 8 received in the food container 2. As shown in FIG. 2, catering articles, e.g. a cup 10 may be received in the food container 2. In the present embodiment, the liner 4 is manufactured from a tablecloth-like material and is embodied as a bag with a handle 12. After consuming the food received in the food container 2, the user may use the liner 4, which is provided with a waterproof inner coating or insert, as a wastebag and may introduce the food container 2, packaging material and unconsumed food into the wastebag.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment the liner 4 includes a separate pouch for receiving catering articles, in particular a cutlery pack 16. As can be taken from FIG. 3, in the present embodiment the pouch 14 is located in the area of the handle 12 and consequently in the area of the upper end of the bag defined by the liner 4.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a food container 2 according to the invention which differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that the liner 4 is manufactured from paper.

While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or limits of the claims appended hereto. 

1. Food container for receiving food, comprising: a) the container including a flexible liner; b) the liner being one of wrappable and foldable about the container; c) a detachable affixing element being provided; and d) in a wrapping position of the liner, in use, the liner being one of wrapped and folded about the container, and the detachable affixing element being detachably affixed to the liner and holding the liner in one of wrapped and folded about the container.
 2. Food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a) the detachable affixing element includes at least one gluestrip.
 3. Food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a) the detachable affixing element includes at least one banderole.
 4. Food container as claimed claim 1, wherein: a) the liner includes one of paper, foil, and tissue.
 5. Food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a) the liner includes a bag.
 6. Food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a) the liner includes one of a waterproof inner coating and an insert.
 7. Food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a) the liner includes a separate pouch for receiving catering articles.
 8. Food container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a) the container is a disposable container.
 9. Method of using a food container for catering onboard aircraft, comprising: a) providing a food container to a passenger onboard aircraft, the food container including: i) the container including a flexible liner; ii) the liner being one of wrappable and foldable about the container; iii) a detachable affixing element being provided; and iv) in a wrapping position of the liner, in use, the liner being one of wrapped and folded about the container, and the detachable affixing element being detachably affixed to the liner and holding the liner in one of wrapped and folded about the container.
 10. Method as claimed in claim 9, wherein: a) the detachable affixing element includes at least one gluestrip.
 11. Method as claimed in claim 9, wherein: a) the detachable affixing element includes at least one banderole.
 12. Method as claimed in claim 9, wherein: a) the liner includes one of paper, foil, and tissue.
 13. Method as claimed in claim 9, wherein: a) the liner includes a bag.
 14. Method as claimed in claim 13, wherein: a) the liner includes one of a waterproof inner coating and an insert.
 15. Method as claimed in claim 9, wherein: a) the liner includes a separate pouch for receiving catering articles.
 16. Method as claimed in claim 9, wherein: a) the container is a disposable container.
 17. Food container as claimed in claim 7, wherein: a) the liner includes a cutlery pack.
 18. Food container as claimed in claim 5, wherein: a) the liner includes one of a tray liner, a placemat, and a tablemat. 